Cherokee

Daphne Barlow (22) cuts between the defense of  Cherokee’s Cambry Stamper (1) and Lilly Lossiah during a fourth-quarter, fast-break Monday. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Daphne Barlow (22) cuts between the defense of Cherokee’s Cambry Stamper (1) and Lilly Lossiah during a fourth-quarter, fast-break Monday. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Black Knights off to 3-0 start

Robbinsville – It did not take long for the pieces to fall into place. Rather than carrying a negative attitude on the first road trip of the season, the Robbinsville Middle School Lady Knights left a stunning 47-46, season-opening loss to Murphy in the rearview mirror.
Sophomore libero Suri Watty eyes a serve during  Tuesday’s conference-tournament semifinals against Swain County. Watty’s stint at the service line in the third set sparked a 12-3 run for Robbinsville. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Sophomore libero Suri Watty eyes a serve during Tuesday’s conference-tournament semifinals against Swain County. Watty’s stint at the service line in the third set sparked a 12-3 run for Robbinsville. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Knights ousted in tourney semis

Final standings for the 2023 Smoky Mountain Conference volleyball season.
Chase Calhoun had his first 100-yard game in a Robbinsville uniform Friday, and he did it against his former school as part of a 46-6 rout at Cherokee. Running  interference for Calhoun are Koleson Dooley (55) and Isiac Collins (61). Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Chase Calhoun had his first 100-yard game in a Robbinsville uniform Friday, and he did it against his former school as part of a 46-6 rout at Cherokee. Running interference for Calhoun are Koleson Dooley (55) and Isiac Collins (61). Photos by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

It’s the thrill of the Chase

The box score from Friday's game at Cherokee. Cherokee – Chase Calhoun’s stomach was in knots as the Robbinsville team bus pulled into the parking area Friday.
Roman Jones (15) and Tytan Teesateskie (72) celebrate Jones’ two-point conversion pass reception Friday at Cherokee. The snag capped the first scoring drive of the game for either team, with Robbinsville pouring it on from that point forward in a 46-6 rout of the Braves. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Roman Jones (15) and Tytan Teesateskie (72) celebrate Jones’ two-point conversion pass reception Friday at Cherokee. The snag capped the first scoring drive of the game for either team, with Robbinsville pouring it on from that point forward in a 46-6 rout of the Braves. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Robbinsville topples Cherokee in conference opener

Cherokee – Following a defensive stalemate in the first quarter, two Black Knights had eclipsed 100 rushing yards at the end of the night.
Junior Claire Barlow (3) rises above Swain County’s Kinsley Hyatt during Sept. 21’s road match in Bryson City. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Junior Claire Barlow (3) rises above Swain County’s Kinsley Hyatt during Sept. 21’s road match in Bryson City. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Rough Knights at the office

Robbinsville – The reintroduction to conference play did not go according to plan for the Robbinsville Lady Knights. An 8-match win streak was snapped in a 4-set loss at Swain County on Sept.
Senior running back Cuttler Adams pokes through an open spot during the second half of Friday’s home loss to Rabun Gap, Ga. Photos by Danielle Crabtree/The Graham Star

Senior running back Cuttler Adams pokes through an open spot during the second half of Friday’s home loss to Rabun Gap, Ga. Photos by Danielle Crabtree/The Graham Star

Home invasion

Final stats from Friday's game against Rabun Gap, Ga.

Stopped 1 yard shy

Robbinsville – In a frantic scramble, Cherokee had reached the Knights’ 11-yard line. The Braves had no way to stop the clock in the closing moments of Aug. 31’s junior-varsity showdown under the Big Oaks, as Cherokee had burned all of its timeouts in the moments leading up to the play.
Khaygen Buchanan unleashes a hit for the middle school Lady Knights against Murphy on March 14. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Khaygen Buchanan unleashes a hit for the middle school Lady Knights against Murphy on March 14. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

No answers for Knights against Braves

Robbinsville – In what was Robbinsville Middle School’s final games for two weeks – the fallout of an 8th-grade coastal trip and Spring Break – the Knights could not manufacture a season split with Cherokee.
Junior ace Memory Frapp struck out seven Cherokee batters to aid Robbinsville’s thumping of the Lady Braves on Friday. Photos by Montana Buchanan/The Graham Star

Junior ace Memory Frapp struck out seven Cherokee batters to aid Robbinsville’s thumping of the Lady Braves on Friday. Photos by Montana Buchanan/The Graham Star

Lady Knights split bill with Braves, Jets

Cherokee – Less than 24 hours removed from a tough loss, Robbinsville did what it does best: the Knights shook off the effects of the defeat. It just so happened that Robbinsville (8-2, 5-0) had a short road trip to Cherokee (5-4, 2-4) on the books Friday.
The Robbinsville Black Knights have good reason to smile: the team has recently put together its first winning streak of the season. Graylen Orr (2) struck out 10 Copper Basin batters in just four innings of work Monday, as Robbinsville made the streak official with an 8-7 win over the Cougars. Clockwise from Orr are Bryc  Garrison, head coach Brent Icenhower, Lathan Buchanan, Alex Knight, Caleb Turpin, Quinn Jumper, Preston Phillips, Ethan Orr and Bryce Adams. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

The Robbinsville Black Knights have good reason to smile: the team has recently put together its first winning streak of the season. Graylen Orr (2) struck out 10 Copper Basin batters in just four innings of work Monday, as Robbinsville made the streak official with an 8-7 win over the Cougars. Clockwise from Orr are Bryc Garrison, head coach Brent Icenhower, Lathan Buchanan, Alex Knight, Caleb Turpin, Quinn Jumper, Preston Phillips, Ethan Orr and Bryce Adams. Photo by Kevin Hensley/sports@grahamstar.com

Have yourself a day, kid

Robbinsville – He was a one-man wrecking crew. At the outset of Monday’s home game against Copper Basin, Tenn., Black Knights junior Graylen Orr had just 16 strikeouts across four starts.